Blues music didn't just emerge; it erupted from the depths of the Mississippi Delta, a crucible of African American experience in the late 19th century.

Born from the sweat-soaked cotton fields and dimly lit juke joints, it became the voice of a people navigating the harsh realities of oppression and injustice.

In the sweltering heat of the Delta, amidst the rhythms of labour and the echoes of ancestors, blues found its roots.

Drawing from the musical tapestry of West Africa, interwoven with spirituals, work songs, and field hollers, early blues artists crafted raw, emotive tunes that mirrored the struggles and triumphs of life under Jim Crow.

Two figures loom large in the Delta blues landscape: Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters. Johnson's mythical tales, whispered at crossroads and immortalized in haunting songs like "Cross Road Blues," captured the imagination, while Muddy Waters electrified the scene with his fierce vocals and electrifying guitar, reshaping the sound of the Delta.

With the Great Migration, blues found new life in the bustling cities of the North. The raw, acoustic sound of the Delta transformed into the electrified pulse of urban blues.

Howlin' Wolf, B.B. King, John Lee Hooker — they wielded amplified guitars and wailing harmonicas, channelling the energy of city streets into their music.

From the smoky clubs of Chicago to the shores of Britain, blues transcended borders and captivated audiences worldwide.

The British blues boom of the '60s saw bands like The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin pay homage to their blues idols, while the global blues revival of the '80s introduced the genre to new ears, ensuring its legacy would endure.

Today, the blues reverberates through the veins of popular music, from the gritty riffs of rock and roll to the introspective verses of hip-hop. Its soulful melodies and gritty authenticity resonate across generations and cultures, a timeless testament to the resilience and creativity of the human spirit.

From the Delta to the world stage, the blues remains a beacon of truth and a soundtrack to the human experience.